OK, I think it worked this time:
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, Fleetwood Mac fans clam-
oring for much-anticipated re-releases of the classic-rock band's touch-
stone albums -1975's Fleetwood Mac, 1977's Rumours and 1979's Tusk
-have been told again and again, "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow."
Finally, on March 23, the long-awaited suites will be unveiled by Warner
Bros., and from all indications, the wait will have been well worth it.
With 37 combined unreleased tracks spread over Rumours and Tusk
alone, the digitally remastered deluxe editions stand as some of the
most generous reissues of historic albums in recent memory. The three
titles have already sold more than 25 million copies put together;
Rumours spent more weeks at #1 than any other album in the '70s (31),
nabbed the Grammy for Album of the Year and sold 18 million units.
The self-titled disc lasted the longest on the Top 200 (148 weeks) and
went quintuple-platinum, while Tusk sold two million copies and
remains one of the group's most daring conceptual efforts.
Up until now, fans have been left stranded with sub-par versions of
these milestone albums, short-changed with scrappy artwork and one
especially contentious amendment: a hackneyed edit of "Sara" on Tusk
that was employed in order to squeeze the original, 69-minute double-lP
onto a single disc. (Needless to say, the new Tusk's Disc One restores the
original length.)
With input and approval from the entire band -including keyboard-
ist/vocalist Christine McVie, who is not touring with the current,
reconvened lineup -two of the three generous packages present an
entire second disc that effectively act as alternate versions of the origi-
nal albums. less material was unearthed for the self-titled album,
although it does include four single versions and an unissued nugget.
While the bonus tracks have been squared away for years, Sr. VP of
A&R David Mclees tells ICE that, "Everybody is proud of these now, and
they're ready to come out at a time when the band isn't overtaxed with
promotional opportunities for their last Warner Bros. record [Say You Wi/~."
Bill Inglot, Gary Peterson and Mclees combed through the vaults two-
and-a-half years ago, and wound up using, according to Mclees, 98% of
the material they uncovered. "We had great sources on this stuff. Every-
thing was in good condition. Some of the tracks on the bonus discs were
mixed from rough mixes on the multi-track tapes. For a good chunk. ..
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Know I'm Not Wrong' -there are earlier versions we found acceptable, two-
track versions, and then went to the actual 24-track tapes to get the mix."
The one-CD reissue of Fleetwood Mac is supplemented with the unre-
leased "Jam #2," plus bonus single versions of "Over My Head,"
"Rhiannon," "Say You Love Me" and "Blue Letter," with the latter two
making their U.S. CD debuts.
" A lot of what would be bonus material for that record is stuff that was
on the legendary Buckingham Nicks," McLees says, citing the cult classic
by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks that was released a year
earlier, in May 1974. "But it seemed like a nice chance to remaster it and
sell these records as a trilogy."
While rumors have abounded recently of Buckingham Nicks finally reach-
ing the CD format, McLees addresses the issue as follows: "There's all
kinds of rights issues that need to be worked out, and we hope at some
point that we can get our greasy mitts on it. I would love to do it, and we're
certainly going to be pursuing it, but there's no official deal in the works yet."
As stated, Rumours and Tusk both contain a second disc. The former's
tune stack kicks off with 11 rough versions and outtakes that closely mirror
the original lineup. Alternates for "The Chain" and "I Don't Want to Know"
were not uncovered, although there is one additional track, "Think About It,"
included in the bunch. The roster: "Second Hand News," "Dreams,"
"Brushes (Never Going Back Again)," "Don't Stop," "Go Your Own Way,"
"Songbird," "Silver Springs," "You Make Loving Fun," "Gold Dust Woman
#1 ," "Oh Daddy" and "Think About It." Five early demos follow -"Never
Going Back Again," "Planets of the Universe" (with Nicks on vocals), "Butter
Cookie (Keep Me There)" (Christine McVie on vocals), "Gold Dust Woman"
and "Doesn't Anything Last." Two jam sessions cap off the 76-minute disc:
"Mic the Screecher" and "For Duster (The Blues)."
McLees cites the early demo of "Gold Dust Woman" as one of the
highlights. "It's very rough-sounding. It sounds like a singer-songwriter
piece with just acoustic guitars and Stevie -not the full band. 'Gold Dust
Woman #1' is a band alternate version, the same instrumentation as
what's on the album."
"Mic the Screecher" is the briefest bonus, a blues-oriented run-
through featuring some typically wild antics from Mick Fleetwood.
While McLees says "For Duster (The Blues)" sounds reminiscent of
bluesman Elmore James, the track is almost certainly a nod to" ,...,c..., British blues singer
and harmonica player Duster Bennett, whose 1968
debut, Smiling Like I'm Happy, featured backing by the Mac.
The second Tusk CD offers an equally impressive bill: 21 tracks
grouped together under the name "Demos, Roughs & Outtakes." It reads:
"One More Time (Over & Over)," "Can't Walk Out of Here (The Ledge),"
"Think About Me," "Sara," "Lindsey's Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong),"
"Storms," "Lindsey's Song #3 (That's All for Everyone)," "Sisters of the
Moon," "Out on the Road (That's Enough for Me)," "Brown Eyes," "Never
Make Me Cry," "Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong)," "Honey Hi," "Beautiful
Child," "Song #3 (Walk a Thin Line)," "Come on Baby (Never Forget),"
"Song #1 (I Know I'm Not Wrong)" (alternate), "Kiss and Run," "Farmer's
Daughter" (Beach Boys cover sung by Mick Fleetwood) and the single
versions of "Think About Me" (making its U.S. debut) and "Sister of the
Moon." Demos or outtakes of "Save Me a Place" and "What Makes You
Think You're the One" were not located in the vaults.
To clear up any possible confusion, "Lindsey's Song #1" is a demo ver-
sion of "I Know I'm Not Wrong," while "Song #1 (1 Know I'm Not Wrong)"
is a more developed take. The third take of the song, an alternate, closely
resembles the final version, thus making the trio a revelatory lesson in how
Buckingham would develop a track.
Many unpublished outtake photos for Rumours were discovered and
now enhance the album artwork for that package. Complete lyrics -which
came with the original LPs but not the CDs -are also restored, and noted
biographer Dave DiMartino contributes notes to each. All three are pack-
aged in jewel boxes with slipcases.
A DVD Audio release of Tusk is in the planning stages, although it will
not include the second disc ("'Never Make Me Cry' has a lot of instru-
ments that weren't in the stereo mix," says McLees). A PBS documentary
is also scheduled, but it will focus on the band's contemporary studio and
concert pursuits, not the storied catalog documents. -Kurt Orzeck
John
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